The profile of the IRA gunman is set in the context of the history and goals of the IRA. The needs and attractions of the IRA over a 20-year period show only a slightly different sociological profile in the volunteer. In the beginning, there was a greater variety of ages and backgrounds. The current deployed Irish volunteer is relatively young, although lately tending to become older; male; Roman Catholic; working-class without technical or professional skills; with local connections to the movement; with a sense of just grievance; and a soldier intimate with his area and supported by those of like mind. The volunteer is thus typically limited, provincial, pragmatic, idealistic, and dedicated to the IRA faith in the eventuality of a United Ireland. The volunteer is taught little in recruits class, except the validity of the IRA faith, so the volunteer must learn through experience in the field, where craft is crucial to survival, and the attrition rate is high. A successful volunteer must acquire survival skills and the capacity to be effective militarily. These skills depend upon the ability to adjust to and counter the competence of the British military. Attractive British targets are increasingly protected, and intelligence operations are effective. On active service, a gunman, even if not on the wanted list or the suspects' list, must emerge from cover to operate. The target is always protected, and the gunman is always vulnerable. Gunmen who survive for any length of time while being effective militarily are rare. The ideal gunman has a relatively long effective career and dies as a martyr. Most have short, often brutal operational careers. The lucky are captured and retired, often with long sentences.